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Sleeping Beauty

Play trailer 0:45 Poster for Sleeping Beauty G 1959 1h 15m Kids & Family Fantasy Animation Play Trailer Watchlist
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90% Tomatometer 49 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
Filled with jealousy, the evil witch Maleficent (Eleanor Audley) curses Princess Aurora (Mary Costa) to die on her 16th birthday. Thanks to Aurora's guardian fairies (Verna Felton, Barbara Jo Allen, Barbara Luddy), she only falls into a deep sleep that can be ended with a kiss from her betrothed, Prince Phillip (Bill Shirley). To prevent Phillip from rescuing Aurora, Maleficent kidnaps and imprisons him. The good fairies are the last hope to free Phillip so that he can awaken Aurora.
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Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty

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Critics Consensus

This Disney dreamscape contains moments of grandeur, with its lush colors, magical air, one of the most menacing villains in the Disney canon.

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Critics Reviews

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Caroline Siede Girl Culture (Substack) Aug 21
While I don’t think the Disney animators intentionally set out to empower middle-aged women, they did set out to mix up the Disney princess formula. In doing so, they stumbled upon a premise more progressive than half of what we get from the studio today. Go to Full Review
Sara Michelle Fetters MovieFreak.com 02/22/2024
4/4
Sleeping Beauty is a masterpiece. In my opinion, it’s not just the best animated film to ever come out of Walt Disney Studios, but it is also the finest animated motion picture I’ve ever seen, period. Go to Full Review
Kate Cameron New York Daily News 01/28/2016
4/4
It is a picture that will charm the young and tickle adults, since the old fairy tale has been transferred to the screen by a Disney who kept his tongue in his cheek throughout the film's animation. Go to Full Review
Carson Timar ButteredPopcorn 01/01/2024
Often wide in scope with lovely shot composition and cinematography, Sleeping Beauty is at times a truly artistic endeavor. Go to Full Review
Eve Tushnet Patheos 07/23/2021
Maleficent is a ferocious creation... Go to Full Review
Bob Halliday Salt Lake Tribune 05/12/2021
Sleeping Beauty is romance and pageantry, humor and pathos. It's excitement and conflict, magic and counter-magic. It's fun. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Shelby S. @Rainbow_Veins00 5d Sleeping beauty 51 Art/Music It was very bright yet soft but kind of angular shapes which I didn’t like too much. The colors are kind of flat/simple but I love the color representation. It was very whimsical maybe even more so than Cinderella. I love the gift granting animation/scene. It was very unique and I loved the music that was playing and how each gift was different with different music and different colors and different vibes. I Loved when they shrank and went into the jewelry box, the details of everything looking large and what was inside. I Love the movement/flow of everything (dress/hair/magic). I love the symbolism in this movie between the colors and the art designs. For example, how Phillips weapons in the end represented the sort of truth and the shield of virtue. It’s very enriching. I also love the fun fact that the dress for Aurora kept changing colors because the artists couldn’t decide on what color to make her dress. As for the music, there’s only really one good song in the whole movie in my opinion. And that’s the song she obviously sings in the woods when she finds her prince. Music was beautiful but I didn’t understand how much to me. Side characters The fairies are beautiful/unique. Blue is literally the most useful and smartest, also a little spicy. Green is the most fairy like (gentle peacekeeper). Pink is the most manipulative and kind of mean and controlling. Pink and blue are always fighting while green is usually minding her own business. I find that absolutely hilarious. They have no practical house skills even after 16 years… it’s scares me to think of how they took care of Aurora all that time. They to save the prince so a bit brave or maybe it’s just obligation. They’re definitely easily scared. The fairies killed mal pretty much (by giving Philip an enchanted sword and shield) but I thought they weren’t suppose to intervene? The prince is persuasive, manipulative, and Playful in the best ways. I absolutely love how witty and sarcastic he could be. He’s completely In love with Auroras voice because that’s what drew him to her first. Kinda touchy feely in an almost inappropriate way, but honestly, it could be played off as charming flirty. Though he’s not a good listener. The prince is rebellious and doesn’t care about status, he wants what he wants and he’s gonna get it. Despite some of his overconfident shortcomings, he’s very determined with a noble heart and very chivalrous. Phillips dad is greedy and pushy and inconsiderate and unreasonable and has mood swings. He lets Prince Philip do what he wants or can’t control him. He also seems to be the type of guy that gives into temptation. Despite being a little greedy and easily aggravated he has a kind heart and truly loves his son because he was willing to upset Auroras dad because his son didn’t want to marry her. Aurora’s dad was a bit timid and soft but also loving and gentle. He was also a bit, oblivious and I feel like most would probably call him a weak ruler. Even though he’s portrayed as loving and a dedicated father (showcased by the fact he defended aurora) and a good husband, he is a bit grumpy and disgruntled sometimes. He is not highly intelligent and makes impulsive, sometimes naive decisions, such as failing to invite Maleficent and ordering all spinning wheels to be burned. He does seem to value peace though, because the only person that seemed to have a problem with him was maleficent, and even the fairies were coming to gift his daughter. There wasn’t a strong animal presence on the movie so I don’t have much to score on there but I did love how the animas seemed so comfortable around her and even stole the princess clothes to dance with her. So cute! Another character that didn’t get much light that I would’ve loved to see more of is the mother. I feel like her emotional state would’ve played a good part in the movie or at least an acknowledgment of her distraught. I also fell in love with the jester. Sneaking drinks under the table and getting drunk right before the kingdom was put to sleep. He was a whole vibe lmao. Maleficent is sassy/petty. Very sadistic, cruel, and bold/confident. She’s got a Short temper, Lots of malice. Even though she’s got headed she’s intelligent and conniving. She’s very Proud of being evil. Strength isn’t her only skill though because she’s very Sneaky. She’s kind of Flirty? Some of the things she said to the Prince were sus. I love how Sarcastic she is. I think she Hates love in general? I absolutely Loved her dragon transformation. So beautiful. The goblin minions were cool looking. It was a nice highlight to the company maleficent kept. Main character Aurora is clever. I Love her voice, its equal amounts of charming and feminine plus very Whimsical. She gets Realistically offended by the prince grabbing her out of no where. She’s a little Dramatic but she is 16 so it’s understandable and it’s not excessive. She has damsel in distress vibes which is alright but like… it’s excessive in this certain film but not her fault. She’s indeed very beautiful and graceful. I adored her. Scenes I enjoyed The intro didn’t stand out to much to me so that was a slight let down. I would’ve liked some story building or explanation about their world or something. I adored the scene where the fairies gave their gifts or when they shrunk down to talk in private in the jewelry box. This film very much uses the background diversely and incorporates it very well. Loved the cleaning scene. Though I’m very concerned that the fairies have been playing human for 16 years and still can’t cook, clean, or make a dress without magic especially in the time period they’re in. Again, makes me wonder how Aurora survived. Also the spicy tension between blue and pink were hilarious. Another scene that stuck out to me was when they put the kingdom to sleep. It was kind of them to not worry the king and queen or disrupt the peace of the kingdom. They did kind of take it upon themselves to save the day even though they said they’re not suppose to intervene? The fight scene between Philip and the dragon was amazing. I loved the animation and colors. It was very edgy and dark as it should be considering it’s the climax against good and evil. Blue did try to fight maleficent herself but pink told her they weren’t allowed to intervene… then gave Philip a magic sword and shield? Doesn’t make sense but still a great scene. Conclusion All in all, I did very much enjoy this movie. It was light. It was romantic. It was a classic damsel in distress princess movie. Very nice aesthetic and beautiful artistry. Aurora is one of the more beautiful Disney princesses for sure with a spectacular voice. The morals were few but the story made up for it. It may have short comings but it is truly a marvel. Story: 5/10 Morals: 3/10 Comedy/entertaining: 4/10 Songs: 4/10 Prince/love aspect: 8/10 Villain: 10/10 Animal side kick(s): 2/10 The Princess/Lead: 4/10 Ending: 7/10 Score: 51/100 Would you watch again: Probably See more Dave M @millet0780 Dec 23 Perhaps one of Walt Disney's most visually beautiful and entrancing stories, SLEEPING BEAUTY retains everything that made it iconic in the first place: from its wonderfully drawn and charming characters, its surprisingly dreamlike and sometimes haunting images (Aurora's slow, hypnotic walk up those stairs toward that spindle is spine-tingling for a children's story) to the deliciously vile Maleficent herself, I really don't have much to criticize about this movie. Walt Disney was an incredibly imaginative storyteller, and this was a major triumph for him. See more Sarah S. @Braxton188 Dec 2 Skumps! See more Zohaib A @slayingfashion5 Nov 19 aurora will and always be my favourite disney princess forever. bring black classic disney 😩✨ See more Noe G Nov 10 Sleeping beauty is the greatest Disney, animated film of and my rating is a 10/10 See more Tauhid E Sep 13 The 3 witches are the real heroes. they raised aurora and helped the prince defeat Maleficent in dragon form. See more Read all reviews
Sleeping Beauty

My Rating

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Movie Info

Synopsis Filled with jealousy, the evil witch Maleficent (Eleanor Audley) curses Princess Aurora (Mary Costa) to die on her 16th birthday. Thanks to Aurora's guardian fairies (Verna Felton, Barbara Jo Allen, Barbara Luddy), she only falls into a deep sleep that can be ended with a kiss from her betrothed, Prince Phillip (Bill Shirley). To prevent Phillip from rescuing Aurora, Maleficent kidnaps and imprisons him. The good fairies are the last hope to free Phillip so that he can awaken Aurora.
Director
Clyde Geronimi
Producer
Walt Disney
Screenwriter
Charles Perrault, Erdman Penner, Joe Rinaldi, Winston Hibler, Bill Peet, Ted Sears, Ralph Wright, Milt Banta
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co
Walt Disney Pictures
Rating
G
Genre
Kids & Family, Fantasy, Animation
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 29, 1959, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 24, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA)
$11.6M
Runtime
1h 15m
Sound Mix
Magnetic Stereo 6 Track
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